diff --git a/aiodns/__init__.py b/aiodns/__init__.py
index 046e202..a9cdf2e 100644
--- a/aiodns/__init__.py
+++ b/aiodns/__init__.py
@@ -55,7 +55,11 @@ def __init__(self, nameservers: Optional[Sequence[str]] = None,
                 raise RuntimeError(
                     'aiodns needs a SelectorEventLoop on Windows. See more: https://github.com/saghul/aiodns/issues/86')
         kwargs.pop('sock_state_cb', None)
-        self._channel = pycares.Channel(sock_state_cb=self._sock_state_cb, **kwargs)
+        timeout = kwargs.pop('timeout', None)
+        self._timeout = timeout
+        self._channel = pycares.Channel(sock_state_cb=self._sock_state_cb,
+                                        timeout=timeout,
+                                        **kwargs)
         if nameservers:
             self.nameservers = nameservers
         self._read_fds = set() # type: Set[int]
@@ -119,7 +123,7 @@ def _sock_state_cb(self, fd: int, readable: bool, writable: bool) -> None:
                 self.loop.add_writer(fd, self._handle_event, fd, WRITE)
                 self._write_fds.add(fd)
             if self._timer is None:
-                self._timer = self.loop.call_later(1.0, self._timer_cb)
+                self._start_timer()
         else:
             # socket is now closed
             if fd in self._read_fds:
@@ -146,6 +150,15 @@ def _handle_event(self, fd: int, event: Any) -> None:
     def _timer_cb(self) -> None:
         if self._read_fds or self._write_fds:
             self._channel.process_fd(pycares.ARES_SOCKET_BAD, pycares.ARES_SOCKET_BAD)
-            self._timer = self.loop.call_later(1.0, self._timer_cb)
+            self._start_timer()
         else:
             self._timer = None
+
+    def _start_timer(self):
+        timeout = self._timeout
+        if timeout is None or timeout < 0 or timeout > 1:
+            timeout = 1
+        elif timeout == 0:
+            timeout = 0.1
+
+        self._timer = self.loop.call_later(timeout, self._timer_cb)
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index 45c93c8..a2e6c61 100755
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ def test_query_bad_class(self):
         self.assertRaises(ValueError, self.resolver.query, 'google.com', 'A', "INVALIDCLASS")
 
     def test_query_timeout(self):
-        self.resolver = aiodns.DNSResolver(timeout=0.1, loop=self.loop)
+        self.resolver = aiodns.DNSResolver(timeout=0.1, tries=1, loop=self.loop)
         self.resolver.nameservers = ['1.2.3.4']
         f = self.resolver.query('google.com', 'A')
         started = time.monotonic()